Various methods exist to modify the physical or chemical nature of surfaces of polymeric or textile materials. Certain known modifications of surfaces of polymeric or textile materials often are fugitive and fail to permanently modify the polymeric and/or textile substrate for a variety of end use applications.
One such known method is a treatment or pre-treatment of the surface of the polymer or textile substrate, for example, using ultraviolet light (alone, without use of specialized surface modifying agents), plasma treatment, corona treatment, or fluorooxidation. Such treatments may be harsh, particularly for thin films and certain polymer classes. Using these methodologies may cause a risk of mechanical or chemical damage to the surface of the polymer substrate. Damage, in some cases, may compromise the performance of the modified polymer substrate for its intended end use application.
More generally, other such known methods of treating or pre-treating the surface of a polymer or textile substrate include, for example, coating, dip-coating, spraying, or the like, some functional material onto the surface of the polymer or textile substrate in accordance with known procedures. Such existing treatments may not be durable and may wear off of the surface of the polymeric or textile substrate over time, resulting in a polymeric or textile material that, after some time, is no longer suited for the intended end use application.
Thus, for at least certain applications or uses, there exists a need for improved methods to modify the physical and/or chemical nature of surfaces of polymeric or textile materials. In particular, a need exists for improved or novel methods for permanently modifying the polymer or textile substrate for a variety of end use applications, for surface modified polymeric or textile materials, for modified functionalized polymers, for functional polymers, for uses of such materials, and the like.